Damper-regulator



J. M. wILsoII,

DAMPER REGULATOR. APPLICATION msn MAY 2o. I'sIs.

Patented N 0V., 16, 1920@ 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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J. M. WILSON. DAMPER REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1919.

',358,909. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wwf/v70 )11%. GGz/MEV@ DAMPER REGULATOR. APPLrcATroN FILED -mw 2o'.1919.

Pated Nov. 16, 192()s 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. WILSON, OF CANTON, OHIO.

DAMPER-REGULATOR.

Application filed May 20, 1919. Serial No. 298,480.

T o all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. WILsoN, a subject of the King of England,residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Damper-Regulator, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to damper regulators for boiler furnaces, andrefers more particularly to that type of damper-regula tor commonlytermed floating. In order that this reference may be clearly understoodit is necessary to define the two classes into which, by virtue of theiraction, damper-regulators are divided. Damper-regulators of the simpletype operate in virtue of variations of steam pressurev above or below apredetermined normal point and aim to secure a maximum sensitiveness topressure variation so that the damper is immediately closed completelyor opened completely according as the pressure rises or falls from thenormal. This type of apparatus may therefore be properly considered asaiming to secure uniformity of steam pressure.

Damper-regulators of the floatingr type constitute the second class andare so named from the fact that the damper position varies or floatsbetween full closed and full open, according to the rate at which steamis being withdrawn from the boiler. As a certain variation in steampressure is necessary to operate them over their entire range ofmovement, it will be obvious that their purpose is to maintainuniformity of furnace conditions with correspondingly increased fueleconomy, rather than to maintain a uniform steam pressure between veryclose limits. Thedisturbed conditions of combustion in a boiler furnacedue to being alternately fully closed and fullyY open, as whencontrolled by a ydamper-'regulator of the simple class, have adetrimental `effect on the efficiency with which the fuel is consumed,so that damper-regulators of the fioating type, which seek to govern thesteam output with the least disturbance of combustion conditions,represent the present advanced state of the art of boiler control.

In the class of devices known as the floating type of damper-regulatorthe object aimed at is attained by various means, but it is here desiredto point out that no distinct effort has been made to secure other thanuniform change of damper position for uniform change of steam pressure.This statcment is made to the best of knowledge of the present state ofthe art, and particular reference is made to vTildens Patent No. 893,284of July 14th, 1908, page 2 line 22, etc., in which the action of hisdevice is stated to be such that (line 28) uniform increments of addedsteam pressure acting on the piston move the piston through un;- formincrements of distance, though uniformity throughout the range is notessential and further (line 3G) each position of the regulating pistonrepresenting a differing steam pressure, a gradual increase in steampressure causing a gradual rise of the regulating piston, and a gradualdecrease in the steam pressure permitting a radual descent of theregulating piston. The foregoing reference is made with the purpose ofclearly defining the manner in which damper-regulators of the fioatingtype operate and to enable the operation of my device to be clearly anddistinctly differentiated therefrom. p

The object of my invention is to provide a damper-regulator of thefloating type, which is so designed that the amount of closing obtainedper unit increase of boiler pressure, is graded from a maximum for thefirst unit increase, down to a smaller' amount of closing for the lastpressure increase within the range of the device. The invention furtherprovides means whereby the amounts of closing or graduations of travelper unit increase of pressure can be altered in their relativeproportions, but with greatest effect on the initial amounts of closing.This fea'- ture enables the action of the` damper-regulator to beadjusted to varying conditions of boiler operation and is complementaryto the peculiarly graduated control obtained by the apparatus. p

My device consists essentially of a control chamberwvhich operates valvemechanism to admit or release Huid pressure from an operating cylinder,the piston rod of which is connected to the damper mechanism. Attachedto and operated by the piston rod in the operating cylinder is a leverso mounted on the device and connected to the valve,I mechanism that itscontrol over the action' of the valve results in the varying incre#ments of damper movement already described. l

My invention, therefore, to these ends, consists in the novel featuresand in the coli- 8, which leads to the control chamber.

struction, or arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointedout in the claims following the description, due reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The drawings show an embodiment of the device which is at presentpreferred by me, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown and described.

The invention thus set forth in general terms is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings 'forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of a damper re ulator embodying the invention.

`ig. 2, a vertical sectional view of the same; and- Fig. 3, adiagrammatic view showing the movement of the compensating lever.

`Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the three-way valve and the membersoperatively connected thereto.

A practical embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification in which similarnumeralsv of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

The control chamber is indicated by the numeral 1 and contains thepiston 2 which is mounted therein for vertical reciprocation and carriesthe bracket 3 which is rigidly attached thereto. A coil spring 4 isinterposed between the piston and the lower head 4, which is adjustablymounted within lthe t-ubular spacing member 5 upon the upper end ofwhich is supported the chamber 1, the lower end of said tubular memberbeing mounted upon the base plate 6. The tension upon the coil spring 4may be regulated by adjusting the head 4.

A pressure supply pipe'T is connected to the boiler and provided with abranch pip three-way valve 9 is mounted upon the supply pipe andconnected by'means of the pipe 10 with the operating cylinder 11, whichis also mounted upon the base plate 6. The

cylinder 11 is provided with a piston 12, the

piston rod 13 thereof having a block 14 rigidly connected to its upperend, said block being provided with a post 15, to which is pivotallyconnected one end of the compensating lever 16, the other end thereofbeing provided with a roller 17 mounted for recip rocatory movementwithin the slot 18 of the guide block 19, said guide block beingprovided with a, boss 20. This construction causes the free end of thecompensating lever to move in ay straight substantially hci- `zontalline and permits the otherend of the 19 may be adjusted to the desiredangle and is then fixed to the flange 21 by tightening the screw 22.

A drain pipe 23 connects the exhaust outlet of the three-way valve 9with the lower end of the control cylinder 11. An arm 24 is fixed uponthe compensating lever 16 intermediate to the ends thereof and a link 25pivotally connects said" arm wit-h one end of a floating lever 26, whichlever is pivoted at 2T tothe upper end of the bracket 3 carried by thepiston 2. rIhe other end ofthe lever 26 is provided with a slot 28,which engages a stud 29 mounted upon the free end of the lever 30, whichlever is fixed to the spindle 31 of the three-way valve 9.

A flexible connection such as a chain or cord 32 is connected in anysuitable manner such'as by the hook 33, to the upper end of the pistonrod 13 and passes over suitable pulleys 34 and connects with the controllever 35 of the damper 36, a counter-weight 37 being located upon theextremity of the flexible member 32 tending to normally hold the damperopen.

The manner in which the device operates and the novel nature of. thedampercontrol resulting therefrom'will now be described. lVater underboiler pressure enters the pipe T and passing through the pipe 8 to thecontrol chamber 1 builds up pressure which tends to force the piston 2downward against the spring 4. This spring is provided with suitablemeans for adjusting it to balance the` boiler pressurel and it is alsoso proportioned that when the boiler pressure rises above apredetermined point` it will yield through a suitable dist-ance so thatfor a given in crease of, say, one pound pressure per square inch, adefinite downward movement of the piston 2 is obtained. v

By means of the bracket 3 this movement of the piston 2 is conveyed tothe pivoted lever 26 and during the cycle of operations causes it tofloat up and down with a similar effect 011 the damper position, thusgiving rise to the conventional term, floating type.

Assuming thevarious parts would be in the position shown in Fig. 1 withthe piston rod 13 fully extended, the damper 36 fully open and thepiston 2 in the control chamber at the upper end of its travel and thethree-way valve 9 closed Downward movement of the piston 2 through agiven distance will cause the 'pivotal point- 27 of the floating lever26 to move similarly. As the piston rod 13 remains stationary while thethree-way valve 9 is closed, the compensating lever 16 must likewiseremain stationary so that the link end of the floating lever 26 which isconnected to the compensating lever by the link 25 and arm 24 will alsoremain stationary and thus cause the downward movement of the pivotalpoint 27 to be imparted to the valve control lever 30 in a multiplieddegree according to the proportions of the lever 30 and the floatinglever 26. l

This downward movement of the valve lever 30 rotates the three-way valve9` so that connection ismade from the pipe 7 through -the pipe 10 totheupper end of the cylinder 11 admitting the boiler pressure against theupper side of the piston 12 and thus allowing the boiler pressure tomove the piston rod 13 downward so as to raise the counter-weight 37 andmove the damper 36 toward the closed position. As the piston rod 13descends it carries the pivot block 14 and the outei end of thecompensating lever with it so that the arm 24 and link 25 depress thelink end of the floating lever 26 and cause its slotted end to raise thevalve control lever 30 and close the three-way valve 9,thus arrestingthe motion of the piston rod 13 and limiting the amount of its movementto a point which is determined by the distance through which the piston2 was depressed by the increase ofboiler pressure.

Further increase ofboiler pressure will result in similar distancesthrough which' the piston 2 will be forced downward against theincreasing resistance of the spring 4` resulting in further downwardmovement of the piston rod 13 with accom' panying depression of the linkend of the floating lever 26 and corresponding changes in position ofthe damper 36, through the cycle of operations above described.Continued increase in pressure will therefore result in the damper beingmoved to the closed position, and decrease in pressure will converselyresult in the damper being .returned to its opened positionI As a resultof pressure decrease the piston 2 will rise under pressure of the spring4 and raise the pivotal point of the floating lever so that the movementof the three-way valve is reversed and connection made between the pipe10 and the pipe 23 allowing the water in the cylinder 11`to be exhaustedas the piston rod 13 is raised by the counter-weight 27. The variouspositions assumed by the piston rod 13 while pressure is decreasingcorrespond with those for similar pressures while increasing.

rlhe manner in which the foregoing mechanism enables graduated decreasesof damper travel to be .obtained for uniform increases of steam pressureis shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3 in which corresponding numerals showcorresponding parts or the center lines thereof as referred to in theother figures. Line A showsthe floating lever in the position itoccupies before the piston 2 as moved downward. Line B shows theposition of the floating lever after the piston 2 has moved downwardone-quarter of its travel with the resulting cycle of operations in thevalve lever 30, the piston rod 13, compensating lever 16 and the link25, the said cycle of operations rcturning the valve lever toits'neutral position, there to await a further increase or decrease ofsteam pressure as the case may be.

Lines C and D show the positions respectively for one-half andthree-quarters travel of the piston 2 and line E shows the position ofthe floating lever at the full travel of the piston. The radial lines a,b, c, (l and e indicate the points to which the upper end of the link 25must be brought to return the valve lever to the neutral position foreach position A, B, C, D and E. The straight heavy dotted line indicatesthe position of the compensating lever 16 for the position B when itsfree end is guided horizontally in the guide slot 18. The distance A-Bis therefore the amount of closing obtained on the damper, due to theposition of the floating lever being changed from B to B. Similarly thedistance B-(," is obtained from the floating lever moving lfrom B to C,("-D by the floating lever moving from C to D, D-E by floating levermoving from D to E. The curved heavy dotted line shows the path oftravel of the upper end of the link 25 as it passes through the radialloci a, b, c, rl and e. If now the guide block 19 be inclined to theposition shown by- 19fl and the path of the upper end'of the link 25plotted out as already described it will be found that the distancesAB--C-D-E are altered; A to B is increased while the remainderaredecreased approximatelyv in proportion, thus making the device moresensitive inoperation for the first quarter travel of the piston 2. Thestraight heavy line-shows position lof the compensating lever at B2which results from the floating lever being moved to the line B. whilethe free end of the compensating lever is moving up the inclined path ofthe guide block. The remaining corresponding positions are indicated bysimilar letters with the numeral 2. The full curved line showing themovement of the upper end of the link 25 is now seen to follow theradial line @,*very closely, and by p virtue of so doing delaysv thedownward travel of the link until such time as the curve begins to leavethe radial line a. Although the full curve and the dotted curve crossthe radial line b near each other the inclined position 19a causes thecompensating lever to travel farther down, z'. e. from B1 to B2 beforeit brings vthe floating lever to the position B. The mechanism operatesin exactly the reverse manner when pressure is dropping from the maximumand the floating lever assumes the positions E, D, C, B, A respectively.

Consideration of the foregoing will result in it being understood thatwhile the device acts directly on the damper its infiuence thereon isentirely with the view of controlling the furnace conditions graduallyand not by uniform increments of damper closure for equal increases insteam pressure. The method of control resulting from this operation ofthe mechanism allows the furnace to be more completely brought un- .dercontrol by the damper for the first unitv increase of steam pressurethan is possible with a damper regulator of the uniform floating type.At the same time the close control of steam pressure obtained by damperregulators of the simpleltype is more nearly approached and a desirablecombination of the good features of both types is y obtained.

In so far as I am aware I am the first to provide means for obtaining agradually decreasing amount of travel of the piston rod which operatesthe damper for uniform increases of steam pressure and it will beapparent that in accordance with the present invention, means areprovided whereby this novel method of automatic damper control isrendered practicable. It will be further apparent that I have devised anew and useful construction of regulating andl controlling device, whichwhile I have de-` scribed and shown a practical embodiment, it isunderstood is susceptible of modification without departing from thespirit of the .invention or the scope of the claims.

lI claim 1. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipeoperatively connecting the control chamber with the boiler, an operatingcylinder adapted to operate with boiler pressure, a valve controllingadmission of boiler pressure to said operating cylinder, a piston andpiston rod mounted in said cylinder and operatively connected to the'damper and means whereby the operation of the valve is variably governedby the piston rod.

2. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipe operativelyconnecting the control chamber with the boiler, an operating cylinderadapted to operate with boiler pressure, a valve controlling admissionof boiler pressure to said operating cylinder, a piston and piston rodmounted in said cylinder and operatively connected to the damper and afioating lever controlling the valve and operatively connected with thepiston j rod whereby the operation of the valve is variably governed bythe piston rod.

3.' A damper regulator includlng a connecting the compensating lever artrol chamber, a pipe operatively connecting the control chamber with theboiler, an operating cylinder adaptedto operate with boiler pressure, avalve controlling admission of boiler pressure to said operatingcylinder, a piston and piston rod mounted in said cylinder andoperatively connected to the damper, a compensating lever connected tothe piston rod and a floating lever controlling the valve andoperatively connected to the compensatinglever whereby the operation. ofthe valve is variably governed by the piston rod.

4. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipe operativelyconnecting 80 the control chamber with the boiler, an op- Y eratingcylinder adapted to operate with boiler pressure, a valve controllingadmission of boiler pressure to said operating cylinder, a piston andpiston rod mounted in said lcylinder and operatively connected to thedamper, a floating lever operatively connected to the control chamberand controlling the operation of the valve, a compensating leverconnected to the piston rod, and means operatively connecting thefloating lever to the compensating lever whereby the operation of theValve is variably governed by the piston rod.

5. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipe operativelyconnecting the control chamber with the boiler, an operating cylinderadapted to operate with boiler pressure, a valve controlling admissionof boiler pressure to said operating cylinder, a piston and piston rodmounted in said cylinder and operatively connected to the damper, amovable bracket operated by the control chamber, a floating leverfulcrumed upon said bracket and controlling the valve, a compensatinglever connected to the piston rod and means operatively connecting thefloating lever to the compensating lever whereby the operation of thevalve is variably governed by the piston rod.

6. A damperl regulator including a control chamber, a piston locatedtherein, a pipe operatively connecting the control 'chamber with theboiler, an operating cylinder` adapted to operate with boiler pressure,a valve controlllng admission of boiler pressure to said Operatingcylinder, a piston and piston rod mounted in said operating-cylinderoperatively connected to the *damper` a bracket carried by the piston inthe Y f chamber, a floating lever fulcrunceci said bracket andcontrolling the o of the valve, a compensating lever cto the piston rodand means opera' lll) lever whereby the operation of is variablygoverned by the piste-n 7. A damper regulator includi I chamber, a pipeoperatively conn control chamber with the bciler,'-

ing cylinder adapted to o erate with boiler pressure, a valve controling admission of boiler pressure to said operating cylinder, a

compensating lever whereby the operationv of the valve is variablygoverned by the piston rod.

8. A. damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipe operativelyconnecting the control chamber with th'e'boiler, an operating cylinderadapted to o erate with boiler pressure, a valve control ing admissionof boiler pressure to said operating cylinder, a piston and piston rodmounted in said cylinder and operatively connected to the damper, acompensating lever pivotally connected at one end to the piston rod, a,guide block within which the other end of the compensating lever isslidably mounted and means operatively connecting the valve with lthecompensating lever whereby the operation of the valve is variablygoverned .by the piston rod, and means for adjusting said guide block tovarious angles.

9. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a piston locatedtherein, a pipe operatively connecting the control chamber "with theboiler, an operating cylinder adapt` ve ed 4to operate the boilerpressure, a va controlling admission of boiler pressure to saidoperating cylinder, a piston and piston rod mounted-1n said operatingcylinder and operatively connected to the damper, a bracket carried bythe piston in the control chamber, a floating 'lever fulcrumed upon saidbracket'and controlling the operation of the valve, a compensating leverconnected to the piston rod at one end, a guide block within which theotherend of the compen satinglever is slidably mounted and'meansoperatively connecting the compensating lever and floating lever wherebythe operation of the valve is variably governed by the piston rod. 10. Adamper regulator including a control chamber, a piston located' therein,a pipe operatively connecting the control chamber and the boilelgan oerating cylinder ada ted to operate the oiler pressure, a va vecontrolling admission of boiler pressure t0 said operating cylinder, episton and piston -rod mounted in said operating cylinder andoperatively connected to the damper, a bracket carried by the piston inthe control chamber, a floating lever ulcrumed upon said bracket andcontrolling the operation of the valve, a compensating'lever connectedto the piston rod at one end, a guide block within which the other endof the compenboiler pressure,

satng lever is slidably mounted and a link pivotally connecting thecompensating lever and the floating lever whereby the operation of thevalve is variably governed by the piston rod.

11. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a ipe operativelyconnecting the control cham er with the boiler, an operating cylinderadapted to operate with boiler pressure, e valve controlling admissionof boiler pressure to Said operating cylinder, a piston and piston rodmounted in said cylinder and operatively connected to the damper, acompensating lever pivotally connected to the piston rod, a guide blockwithin which the other end of the compensating lever is slidably mountedand a floating lever controlling the valve and operatively connected tothe compensating lever whereby the operation of the valve is variablygoverned by the piston rod.

12. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipe operativelyconnecting theI control chamber with the boiler, an operating cylinderadapted to operate with boiler pressure, a valve controlling admissionof boiler pressure to said operating cylinder, a piston and piston rodmounted in said cylinder and operatively connected to the damper, afloating lever operatively connected to the control chamber and`controlling the operation of the valve, a compensating lever pivoted atone end to the piston rod, a guide block within which the other end ofthe compensating lever is slidably mounted and means operativelyconnecting the floating lever to the compensating lever whereby theoperation of the valve is variably governed by the piston rod.

'13. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipe operativelyconnecting the control chamber with the boiler, an operating cylinderadapted to operate with a valve controlling admission ol' boilerpressure to said operating cylinder, a piston and piston rod mountedinvsaid cylinder 4and operatively connected to the damper, a`movablebracket operated by the control chamber, a floating lever fulcrumed uponsaid bracket and controlling the val-ve, a compensating lever pivotallyconnected vat one end to the piston rod, a guide block Within which theother end of the compensating lever is slidably mounted and meansoperatively connecting the floating lever to the compensating leverwhereby the operation of the valve is variably governed by the pistonrod.

14'. A damper regulator including a control chamber, a pipe operativelyconnecting the control chamber with the boiler, an operating cylinderyadapted to operate by fluid pressu-re, a valve controlling the admissionoperatively connected to the damper and pipe controllingthe supply ofuid pressure means whereby the operation of the Valve y1s to saidcylinder, a piston and piston rod variably governed by the piston rod. lmounted in said cylinder and operatively 15. A damper regulatorincluding a conoonnected to the damper and means whereby '5 trolchamber, a pipe operatively connecting the operation of the valve isVariably gov- 15 the control chamber with the boiler, an erned bythepiston rod.'

operating cylinder adapted to operate With In teStlmOy that/ I Clalm theabove I fluid pressure, a pipe operatively connecthwe hereuntoSubscl'lbed my name.

ing said operating cylinder with a source lo of fluid pressure, a. valvein the last named v JAMES M. WILSON. v

